Bailey blasts Australia to safety

Sun 3 Feb 2013, 6:39 PM AEDT

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Australia's George Bailey started slowly before accelerating to a century and smashing four late sixes to finish on 125.

Getty Images: Paul Kane

George Bailey grabbed his maiden international century in impressive style to help Australia to 7 for 266 after West Indies had threatened to restrict the hosts with some fine fielding in the second one-dayer on Sunday.

Bailey put on 100 from 123 balls for the seventh wicket with James Faulkner (39) to rescue the hosts from a parlous 6 for 98 less than half-way through their 50 overs.

The 30-year-old saved his best until the end of the innings, though, and after reaching his century with a six over long-on in the penultimate over, hammered three sixes and a four off the last six balls to finish unbeaten on 125.

The Caribbean islanders were highly embarrassed by their nine-wicket defeat in the opening clash of the five-match series last Friday and their fielding at least was much improved.

Four of the first five Australian batsmen to fall were caught while the fifth, skipper Michael Clarke, was clean bowled for 16 by Dwayne Bravo.

For pure reflexes, Darren Sammy's effort to dismiss Matthew Wade (16) was the pick of the bunch as the skipper snatched a rocket of a ball out of the air with one hand to leave Australia struggling at 5 for 93.